Lynch Bages 2008

The rich black fruits on the nose are backed by some fresher red and the palate is rather the same with cassis and black cherry underpinned by red cherry. The chocolate on the mid palate helps the suppleness but towards the back the tannins are still quite firm slightly holding back the fruit on the finish. 2014-2025

A sensational effort for the vintage, this textured, opulent, superb Lynch Bages is already strutting its stuff and should easily last for 20 years. Medium to full-bodied with an opaque dense purple color, notes of flowers and cassis, a layered texture that builds incrementally in the mouth and tremendous purity and depth, it can be drunk now or cellared for two decades or more. Bravo!

This strong effort from Lynch Bages may turn out to be the finest wine produced here since the 2000. It is a backward, powerful, opaque purple-colored 2008 with fine acids, firm but sweet tannins, and thick, dense levels of attractive blackberry and cassis fruit intertwined with notions of underbrush, lead pencil shavings, and roasted herbs. It appears to be a denser, richer effort than some of the more lightweight Lynch Bages offerings of recent years. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030.

Tasted ex-château and single blind in Southwold. The Lynch Bages 2008 is very well defined on the nose with more red instead of black fruits, graphite and sous-bois intermingling with touches kirsch and cassis. This is a little showy compared to previous bottles that I have encountered. The palate is well balanced with a little hardness on the entry, understandable at this stage. Quite tight at the moment, nice freshness with a long tail on the finish, this is a fine, upstanding, conservative Pauillac. Tasted January 2012.

This has a cohesive nose: blackberry, cedar, just a faint hint of thyme - good definition and focus although not quite the thrilling clarity of Pichon Baron. This is a very "correct" Lynch Bages that reminds more a little of Latour, very pure black fruit, cedar, a touch of briary, a slight tertiary notes towards the finish. Very well balanced and defined, good length, nice persistency. Excellent - unadulterated Cabernet that should drink well over two decades.